


Floating in a Turquoise Sea

by MacBeka



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mermaids, Anal Fingering, Discussion of drugs, Light Angst, M/M, Mating Dances, Mer AU, Mer human interaction, Mer peen, Mer sex, Mermaids, Nesting, Oral Sex, Resolved Romantic Tension, Sibling Incest, Tags to be added, Unbeta'd, WIP, adoptive mother oc, mix of various marine anatomy, rating to increase, resolved angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-11 22:48:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11724198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacBeka/pseuds/MacBeka
Summary: Mermaids Hanzo and Genji realise that they love each other and run (swim) away from the clan. They find somewhere to call their own so they can have their own adventures - most of which include some of the local humans that find them.





	1. The Opinions of Shrimp

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse the poor summary but basically mer Shimadacest who meet humans Jack, Gabe and Jesse and it ends with a big poly. That's literally the premise. I just want to see all my bikes together
> 
> Mer anatomy is a mix of traditional mermaid, dolphins, eels and seahorses, fight me. I don't even know, okay. 
> 
> Rating to increase as we go (probably very quickly). Title is from Janet Fitch's book, White Oleander.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is from the quote: "Mermaids don't lose sleep over the opinions of shrimp" which I thought was pretty accurate for this chapter so.

As far back as Hanzo could remember, Genji had asked to be taught. Anything new that he came across, he’d look to Hanzo with those big eyes and whisper ‘teach me’ in a way that Hanzo couldn’t resist. From an easier way to crack open oysters and clams to how to catch squids before they could escape, from how best to treat a jellyfish sting to how to understand the behaviours of other marine life, from what to do when you’re trapped in a rock pool at low tide to how to avoid land-walkers. Hanzo had taught Genji everything he knew and the two of them had worked anything else out together.

Their mother had died birthing Genji and when he was younger, Hanzo had felt so resentful of his brother for stealing his mother away but over the years, he had grown to accept it. Things happened as they were meant to and he should cherish the gift his mother had left behind. Their father had withdrawn from both of him. He always said he was too busy with the clan so Genji and Hanzo were raised by a group of older female mer. As the only two children of the clan leader, they were respected and well looked after, but their caretakers couldn’t look after them every second of the day, leaving them time to explore and learn things for themselves but only as long as they didn’t drift too far.

As they grew older and Sojiro called Hanzo to his side with increasing frequency, Hanzo was taught things that Genji wouldn’t be taught until Sojiro wanted to find him a mate. Mating dances, nest-making, the art of pleasure… Hanzo would return from his lessons with one of the pretty young mer women red-faced and uncomfortable. Genji was kind enough not to ask what it was all about, which Hanzo appreciated greatly.

Hanzo didn’t doubt that Sojiro already had a female picked out for him, probably from a neighbouring clan to cement ties and make the other clan leader feel indebted to Sojiro for allowing their daughter to mate with his firstborn son. Hanzo hoped he’d get to meet her before they were expected to mate, but he wasn’t expecting to.

The lessons went on for months until Hanzo could achieve perfection. His tail ached from the acrobatics he was expected to do in the seemingly unlimited types of mating dances. When he returned to the large kelp forest in which he and Genji spent most of their time, he slipped through it all until he found Genji, the mer eating some of his latest catch with his tail curled underneath him. When Genji looked up, a dazzling grin split his face and Hanzo couldn’t help the soft flutter in his heart.

“You’re back. I brought food for you too, assumed you wouldn’t have eaten yet,” Genji said, pulling another fish out of the satchel that he’d weighed down with a rock and holding it out.

“Thank you,” Hanzo breathed as he lay beside Genji, stretching out his long tail until it was straight and he could force all the muscles to relax.

“Tired?” Genji asked. He rearranged himself to lie on his front, shoulder pressing into Hanzo’s chest.

Hanzo just hummed in response as he pulled bits of meat off the fish with his claws. Genji waited until he replied properly. “Achey. Sore. Hungry. It’s been a long day.”

“Want a massage?” Genji asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows that never failed to make Hanzo laugh and blush.

“I’ll live.”

The pair of them sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying the company as they ate. Genji finished first and rolled onto his back with a strong twist of his tail that sent the long lines of his fins swirling. Hanzo pushed Genji’s green fins away when the momentum caused them to waft against him.

The women who had raised them in place of their father always joked about Genji being more fin than scale but seeing as most females looking for offspring and mates selected their partners for the attractiveness of their fins, Genji would undoubtedly be the first pick. Hanzo reached out to stroke over the fin that started just below Genji’s waist. All Genji’s fins were green with smatterings of lighter patches, just like his tail. Even his hair was green; it had been going increasingly greener from the water before Genji decided to go all out and dye it the brightest green he could.

When Hanzo looked up again, Genji was watching him curiously. He pulled his hand back and returned to eating.

“What’s up, Hanzo?” Genji asked softly, rolling again to face him.

Hanzo shrugged, moving his elbow where it was planted into the sand to make him a little more stable. He was an awful liar when it came to Genji. He knew that he’d be caught in a lie so it was better to say nothing. Genji saw the silence for what it was.

“Hanzo… Talk to me. Let me help you,” he whispered, reaching out to touch Hanzo’s cheek, careful of his claws.

Hanzo sighed, a slight rush of bubbles from his mouth. “Father is looking for a mate for me, if he hasn’t already found one. He has ordered one of the women to teach me mating dances and how to make nests and… It’s exhausting.”

A look of surprise splashed across Genji’s face briefly. “What? You…? Oh. I see. That’s why you’re always so tired when you come home then?”

Home. The word shot through Hanzo. Eventually - probably some day soon - his home wouldn’t be with Genji anymore. It would be with someone else. Someone who was currently nameless and faceless. Someone he would be expected to breed soon after meeting.

“Genji...”

“Teach me? A mating dance. A simple one,” Genji asked, slipping his hand to Hanzo’s long hair.

“Genji--”

“Teach me,” Genji pleaded, his face close in a way that made Hanzo’s heart clench.

Hanzo swallowed hard and nodded, setting down his now finished dinner before he took hold of Genji’s hand and pulled him up from the sand, swimming up until they cleared the kelp. It was almost completely dark, the sky lit only by the moon, stars and the last vestiges of the sun. The light was more than enough for their superior night vision and although it was only shallow, they weren't so close to shore that they needed to worry about land-walkers and their boats, not at this time of night.

“Okay… So, stay there. I have to try and… uh, impress you,” Hanzo said nervously. He felt like he was going to make a fool out of himself. He’d done so frequently over the past weeks but this was in front of Genji.

Genji smiled and Hanzo could have sworn there was an edge to it but his anxiety pushed the thought from his mind quickly. He started to circle Genji with soft spins of his tail, slow to show off his fins like he’d been taught. He felt Genji’s eyes on him like they were burning.

Swimming in a spiral around Genji, when Hanzo was swimming around his head, he ducked down to let their fins brush together in the water and heard the sharp intake of Genji’s breath. He looked up at Genji briefly and tightened his circle so their tails pressed together. The feeling of pure muscle in his brother’s tail made Hanzo gulp.

Hanzo straightened up and flinched in surprise when Genji moved. With a flutter of green fins, Genji coiled around him, their tails entwining until they were pressed flush and Genji face was right in front of his. He could smell--

Hanzo could smell arousal. Genji’s arousal. He swallowed hard and opened his mouth to say something before Genji uncurled and circled him as he had done before. The younger twisted away and looked like he was waiting for something. Hanzo blinked. Genji knew the steps. He moved closer to his little brother and they spiralled around each other in a corkscrew briefly before diving and doing the same on their way down. At some unseen signal, they split and went separate ways before meeting face-to-face again.

The scent of Genji’s pheromones was stronger now, the water saturated with them. Genji didn’t need teaching; he knew the dance and Hanzo felt played. There was more to go but he couldn’t, not with how Genji’s scent made him twitchy.

“Genji-- How--”

Genji at least had the sense to look sheepish. “I got one of my friends to teach me a while ago.”

“And you asked me to dance with you because…?” he trailed off in question.

“I thought… I wanted… It doesn’t matter. Just a bit of fun.” Genji shrugged, though the look of disappointment on his face made Hanzo’s stomach twist uncomfortably.

“You smell-- Are you that excited for your first mating dance? You can take your time; you’ll have your pick of anyone you want.” Hanzo was hesitant for a moment before he lifted a hand to Genji’s cheek. A look he couldn’t understand crossed Genji’s face briefly. “The strongest, kindest, funniest, sweetest mate will be yours because that’s what you deserve. And no matter what Father says, if you want to take a male mate then you do that.”

Genji was quiet for long enough that Hanzo became concerned. When he opened his mouth to ask if he was okay, Genji just nodded and pulled away. He didn’t meet his gaze and Hanzo reached out for him again, only for him to pull away.

With an obviously forced smile, Genji said, “Thanks, Hanzo. I’m going to go… I told a friend I’d go hunting with them.”

“At this time?” Hanzo frowned, looking up at the sky through the water. The sun was almost fully gone now.

“Uh, yes. He wanted to try and catch some… sea urchins. You know, the long ones.”

“But they’re nocturnal. They’ll be harder to catch while they’re active, and there isn’t much ‘catching’ to do.”

“Oh, I, uh, suppose... Moral support. Yes, that’s why I’m there. Don’t wait up for me.”

Hanzo watched Genji go as if a shark was chasing him. What was that about? Had he said something wrong? He sighed and swam back down into their section of the kelp forest. Genji hadn’t even picked up his hunting satchel. It had been a long day and he was too tired to try and decipher Genji’s words and actions. He’d always done whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to do it, but this felt… different.

Huffing, Hanzo curled up against the sand, the tip of his tail wrapping around the base of one of the kelp plants. Hopefully, Genji would return soon. He doubted he’d ever get an explanation for his behaviour but just having him around and acting normally would be enough.

What felt like hours passed and Hanzo couldn’t get to sleep. He’d never had real trouble sleeping before. Not since he was a child anyway. He’d tried everything he could think of; finding a more comfortable position, digging a hollow into the sand for him to rest in, wrapping himself in an old sealskin blanket for additional warmth, counting, focusing on the rhythmic flow of his gills, everything. But nothing worked. He’d just about given up and was thinking about going for a swim when Genji slipped into their space as quietly as he could. He seemed surprised to see Hanzo still awake.

“Hey,” Genji said quietly as he settled near Hanzo.

“Catch any urchins?” Hanzo asked.

“What? Oh, uh, no. Guess you were right. Too active. Silly me.”

Hanzo took the moment to look over Genji. His eyes were slightly red like his inner eyelids weren’t working properly, but he just put it down to tiredness.

“Can’t sleep?” Genji asked, looking away under the scrutiny, busying himself with tidying up a little.

“No. I was considering going for a swim but I’m still aching from practising the dances for days on end.”

Genji rolled his eyes and came closer with an easy flick of his tail. “Lie on your back, unwrap your tail,” he said, patting the end of his tail where it was still clinging to the kelp.

Hanzo did as he was told, stretching out. He jumped at the first touch of Genji’s hands. Genji just shushed him and told him to relax when he opened his mouth to question. He tried, taking deep breaths as Genji ran his hands over his scales. Hanzo gasped when Genji first started pressing his thumbs into the tense, sore muscles of his tail and continued downwards in slow motions, massaging every inch he could reach.

“Better?” Genji asked. Hanzo hummed in response, eyes only half open. Genji smiled. “Roll over, let me do the other side too.”

Following instruction, Hanzo sat up and turned over using his hands, keeping his tail as relaxed as possible so as not to undo any of Genji’s work. Hanzo sighed under Genji’s touch, relaxing even more into the sand until only his gills were moving. Genji worked his way down Hanzo’s tail slowly until he reached the bottom and patted Hanzo’s side.

“Done,” he said as he moved to lay beside him.

“Thanks, Genji. That feels much better.”

“I did offer you a massage earlier,” he reminded with a brief smile.

The pair of them sat in a silence that wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t comfortable either, not like it was usually between the pair of them. Hanzo felt the need to fill it. Usually, the pair of them could sit or lie together for hours happily but now the silence felt overwhelming.

“Genji?” Hanzo said, waiting for the grunt of acknowledgement before he continued. “How come you got someone to teach you how to dance? You got a mate in mind?”

Genji opened his eyes but just kept looking up to the surface without looking at Hanzo. “Might do, don’t know. Sometimes I feel like they don’t even see me.”

“What?” Hanzo sat up quickly to look down at Genji. “How could they not? They obviously don’t deserve you. What are they like?”

“They’re… amazing. Beautiful. Kind, sweet, funny. Everything you could ever want in a mate. The most beautiful fins and hair and...” Genji shrugged. “It wouldn’t work out.”

“How do you know? Have you spoken to them? Do they know you’re interested?”

Genji sighed and tugged at Hanzo’s arm to make him lie down again. When Hanzo was flat on his back, Genji moved closer to rest his head on Hanzo’s shoulder, an arm draping over his waist.

“I don’t want to talk about it, alright?”

“Alright,” Hanzo said, wrapping his arms around Genji to hold him close. “Alright… Night, Genji.”

“Goodnight, Hanzo.”

Despite his worry, Hanzo felt himself drifting off the sleep quickly, especially when Genji tightened his grip and pressed closer.

Weeks passed and Hanzo was finally told he was done. He’d learnt every dance and could perform on command, he’d learnt how to make the best sand nests and he’d learnt the more… physical things expected of him as a mate - which was the focus of his most recent lessons. It was embarrassing beyond belief and Hanzo had nearly convinced himself that wasn’t a required part of his education until his father mentioned it which was potentially more mortifying than the actual lessons themselves.

Every night, he would come home to Genji who would smile and massage the aches from his tail. Ever since they’d spoken about Genji’s potential mate that night, Genji had become equally clingy and distant. He said little about his daytime activities but spent every night clinging to Hanzo like he was afraid he would disappear. Hanzo didn’t question Genji’s actions, instead just holding him in return.

Hanzo returned to their kelp patch to tell Genji that his lessons were over and they’d be able to spend more time together again. Genji wasn’t alone though; their father was with him. Hanzo couldn’t remember ever seeing Sojiro in the kelp forest before. The man turned up his nose at it when they’d told him where they’d been staying so to see him in their space instantly made Hanzo suspicious.

“Ah, Hanzo,” Sojiro greeted. “We were waiting for you. Come and have dinner with me.”

Hanzo knew an order when he heard one and it was clear Genji did too, if the look on his face was anything to go by. With a push of his tail, Sojiro pushed off and headed towards his space in the nearby coral reef. The space in the centre of the reef had been carefully maintained by previous generations to create a small but intimate cave. The coral had been grown so there was an opening and inside, a hollow perfect for the clan leader. One day this space would pass to Hanzo, as it had passed to his father.

The ceiling of the cave was lined with softly glowing coral that lit the space enough to see by. Hanzo could count on his fingers how many times he’d been invited into this space after his mother had died. He’d been told his mother had cared for him in this space in the year after he’d been born but when she’d died, both he and Genji had been thrust out into the communal areas to be cared for by other members of the clan.

The cave was slightly cramped with the three of them inside but it was manageable. Being close to Genji helped ease Hanzo’s nerves.

“You’re probably wondering why I’ve brought you both here,” Sojiro said without looking up as he dished out food. They knew better than to respond. “How have you been finding your lessons, Hanzo?”

Hanzo blinked at the sudden change of topic. “Informative. Interesting.” He took a bite to fill his mouth so he didn’t have to keep going.

Sojiro nodded. “I understand you finished this evening.” Hanzo nodded. “Good. Now, I’ve brought you here to tell you that your mate is on her way. Your mating was organised before your birth and now the time has come. That’s why I’ve had you educated in how to go about mating. It’s important for your bond.”

Hanzo’s chewing slowed to a stop as the information sank in. He’d had someone intended for him all along. He didn’t get a choice about any of this. He didn’t even get a selection to choose from. He glanced to Genji automatically, seeking assistance, but Genji was just tense and staring into his lap, food untouched.

“Is the food not to your liking, Genji?” Sojiro asked.

“I apologise, Father, but I don’t feel well. I’ve felt illness creeping up on me for days but it’s worse than I thought it would be. May I be excused?”

“Of course. Go and rest. Hanzo will bring you food when we’re finished here.”

With that, Genji set down the fish in his hands and slipped through the cave entrance without even a glance back, leaving Hanzo to deal with their father alone.

“How long until my-- mate is here?” Hanzo asked, stumbling over the word.

“By the next full moon.”

Hanzo nodded. Last night had been full moon. He had a little while.

“Say something, Hanzo.”

Hanzo opened his mouth but no words came out. He wanted to tell Sojiro that he didn’t want a mate yet. That he wasn’t ready, to cancel the whole arrangement. Instead, he simply said, “Thank you, Father.”

“I understand this must be a surprise. You won’t be taking over the clan until you and your mate are settled in your relationship. I appreciate it might be a few years until the two of you are ready for children.”

“Thank you, Father,” Hanzo said again, feeling like he was stuck with only one phrase.

The pair of them returned to their food. Hanzo knew that Sojiro had spoken to him and he’d responded but he couldn’t remember anything. When they were finished, Sojiro dismissed him with the food for Genji.

Swimming almost numbly back to his kelp home, Hanzo slipped through the long plants to find Genji missing.

“Genji?” he said, loud enough to be heard nearby but not so loud as to disturb anyone.

“Just a moment,” Genji replied from somewhere and after a few seconds, he appeared.

The smile on Genji’s face was painfully thin and his eyes red.

“Are you alright? You haven’t mentioned feeling sick,” Hanzo asked, setting down Genji’s dinner.

“I’m fine, I just needed to get out of there. You know how I hate Father’s talks.”

“You don’t look fine. Have you been crying?” Hanzo asked, recognising the rough red rims of Genji’s eyes. He’d only ever seen Genji cry a few times and of course the tears were lost to the water but it always seemed to irritate Genji’s inner eyelids, making his eyes redder than merely crying would.

“Just leave it, Hanzo. Please. It’s not your problem,” Genji said and the anguish in his voice made Hanzo’s heart hurt.

“Genji, please--”

“I said, leave it!” Genji snapped, his scent permeating the surrounding water.

The longing, sadness and pain coming off Genji made Hanzo reach out to touch his hand but Genji pulled back.

“Please, tell me. Let me help,” he whispered.

“It’s you, alright?” Genji hissed, fins fluttering.

“Wh-What?”

“The person I wanted to mate. It’s you. I love you more than a brother should. Happy now? And now you’re going to mate some stranger and I’ll be left here in this… fucking kelp forest on my own. And I’ll probably never see you because you’ll be off with your mate and kids. But maybe that’s for the best. After all, no one wants to know that their mate’s brother wishes he were you.”

“Genji--”

“What more do you want, Hanzo! I told you want you wanted to know, now leave me alone.”

Hanzo followed Genji when he swam away, trying to twist through the kelp to get away from him but Hanzo knew this forest as well as he did. When they came out the other side, Hanzo grabbed Genji’s wrist tightly so he couldn’t wriggle free, which Genji was good at. Instead, Genji just went limp and a soft, broken noise escaped him.

“Leave me alone, Hanzo,” Genji said softly, without much conviction. “You don’t need to worry about me getting in the way of your happy mating.”

“Genji, just listen to me, please,” Hanzo begged, pulling Genji closer. Genji didn’t respond, but he didn’t try to pull away either so Hanzo considered it a win. “I didn’t know you felt that way. You know that I’ll spend as much time with you as I can, especially in this time before she arrives. I don’t want to lose you.”

Genji sighed softly. “I don’t know if I can sit next to you and pretend to be happy for you, Hanzo. I’m sorry.”

Hanzo blinked in surprise and Genji took advantage of his shock by pulling his hand free and swimming away with a strong flick of his tail that pushed Hanzo back with the force of the water. He stared after Genji and his heart ached. He slowly returned to their space and curled up as tightly as he could. He felt like he’d lost his little brother. His only living reminder of his mother and the only member of his family aside from their father. The only person he’d ever felt truly close to.

The days continued as they were wont to do and Hanzo barely saw Genji. He didn’t return to their kelp forest, at least not while Hanzo was there - which was most of the time. Every hour that passed with the knowledge that Genji was avoiding him made Hanzo’s heart ache even more. He’d lost his appetite, and without his lessons and Genji he didn’t know what to do to occupy himself. He spent most of his time mindlessly swimming through the forest, finding shells that caught his eyes. After a while, he realised he was collecting the ones that he knew _Genji_ would like. This felt like more than mere sibling loss but how was he to know? This was much stronger than anything else he’d felt during the other times they’d been apart.

When the heartache became too much, Hanzo sought out one of the female elders that had raised him. They were the closest thing he’d had to a mother since his own died. They were all that Genji had ever known.

“Hanzo? You look upset; has something happened?” one of the elder women, Hatsu, asked as he approached. He shrugged slightly and she moved closer to draw him into her arms. “Talk to me, little one.”

For the first time in years, Hanzo didn’t protest the nickname and welcomed the hug. Days without skin contact had made him antsy. He hadn’t been aware of how reliant on Genji he’d been.

“Hatsu… how did you know you were in love?” he asked softly.

“Uh-oh,” she said, moving her hands to cup his face. “Come sit with me on my rock.”

Hatsu took his hand and led him towards some surface rocks nearer the shore which were known to destroy boats. She easily pulled herself out of the water and onto one of the rocks. The sun high in the sky had heated the rock so when she lay down on the rock and patted the spot behind her, Hanzo joined her.

The sudden change from water to air hurt like it always did as his small lungs had to kick into action. After a few quick breaths, the pain subsided and when Hatsu noticed he’d relaxed, she took hold of his hand.

“You think you’re in love?” she asked.

Hanzo shrugged. He had his eyes closed against the sun, as they weren’t good at protecting against the light when it wasn’t filtered through water.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. “It doesn’t matter because the mate that Father organised is on her way but… I just want to know.”

There was a soft sigh and then a tighter grip on his hand before Hatsu said, “Your father is a foolish man. So focused on his empire that he ignores his son’s happiness. And that goes for the pair of you.”

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Hanzo pointed out.

Hatsu laughed softly and moved their joint hands to rest them on her stomach. “I realise. Being in love is like… I don’t know, everything just feels more complete. When you meet someone that you want to mate, it’s like everything slots into place. They just fit perfectly into your life. Being without them is unimaginable. And when they’re gone, it’s all very… bland. Nothing has the same… light to it, like without them beside you everything is less enjoyable.”

Hanzo let out a mirthless bark of laughter.

“Sound about right?” she asked.

“Yeah...”

“If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the lucky person who’s caught your eye? It isn’t that woman your father got to teach you all the mating rituals, is it?”

“No,” Hanzo said with a slight smile. Hanzo would be happy never seeing her again.

Hatsu was quiet for a while, clearly thinking about it. Hanzo spent the time enjoying the feeling of her hand around his and the heat of the sun on his skin.

“The only other person you spend any time with is Genji,” Hatsu said softly, a hesitantly questioning tone in her voice.

Opening his eyes and looking over to her with a careful expression, Hanzo said nothing. She seemed to study his face for a few long moments before she realised.

“Oh, _Hanzo_ ,” she breathed, placing her hand on his cheek. “It’s okay to feel that way. Just because it isn’t ‘normal’ doesn’t make it unnatural.”

“Genji feels the same way,” Hanzo whispered, looking at her despite the way his eyes ached.

“He said that?”

“After Father told us about my mating. Genji claimed illness and left. When I returned, he’d obviously been crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said he wanted me to be his mate. Said he couldn’t sit and pretend to be happy for me. I haven’t seen him since. I don’t know where he is.”

“I’ve seen him, briefly. He’s alright. Spending time with some of his friends, I think. He’s just upset, and that’s not your fault. Are you going to tell him?”

“No,” Hanzo said, brows furrowing. “What good would that do? Even if he knows, I don’t have any choice in whether I mate this mystery girl or not.”

“Hm,” Hatsu hummed softly. “You don’t have any choice if you stay here, no.”

Hanzo looked at her for a few moments before his eyes widened in realisation as to what she was suggesting. “Are you saying Genji and I should run away?”

“I’m not saying anything, Hanzo. But if that’s what you and Genji want and need to do to be happy then I won’t stop you. And I won’t let anyone else stop you either. Talk to him. He deserves to know.”

“How can I tell him when he’s avoiding me?”

“I’ll sort that out. Just go home, I’ll make sure he comes to see you.”

* * *

Hanzo did as he was told and headed back to their kelp forest after lying under the sun with Hatsu for a while longer. The heat on his skin and scales was comforting, enough to make him a little sleepy.

He arrived at their spot and swallowed. His chest ached and he couldn’t convince himself it was _all_ from breathing air for too long. He’d only realised over the past few days that he loved Genji beyond normal familial bonds. Mer family groups were always tactile and it wasn’t odd that the two of them slept curled around each other, but he’d realised there was more to it than the need for close contact. It was the need for close contact with _Genji_.

A sudden overwhelming urge to nest for his mate came over Hanzo. He wanted to mate Genji. These urges confirmed it. Would Genji appreciate a nest? Something designed for the two of them in mind, and only them. Hanzo took a shaky breath and started anyway. Whether Genji wanted it or not, maybe it would help get his point across.

Hanzo put his recently learned skills into practice, twisting his long tail in circles to carve into the sand. Using his soft fins and his claws, Hanzo carved out the perfect nest for them. It was slightly lopsided, he released when he swam up to view it from above. It certainly wasn’t the best he’d made, but… it was the first he’d made with someone in mind. It still looked… empty, and not just because there was no one in it. Grabbing the shells he’d been collecting over the past week, Hanzo set to decorating the outside of it with the prettiest shells of all those he’d picked up.

It was during this stage that Genji slipped through the kelp. The sudden current had Hanzo look up with his claws out, ready to protect his nest. He blinked slightly when he saw Genji. He looked… tired. Even so, Hanzo watched him look slowly over the nest and the shells in his hand.

“Hanzo...” Genji whispered.

“I missed you,” he blurted, making Genji smile a little before he took a deep breath and said, “I’ve done a lot of… thinking, while you’ve been gone. I missed you. More than… More than a normal brother would and… I talked to Hatsu about my feelings and… I love you.”

Hanzo was sure that he hadn’t made any sense whatsoever but Genji seemed to understand if the way his eyes slowly widened was any indication.

“Wh-What?” Genji asked, flitting a little closer.

“I love you.”

Genji grinned and moved closer suddenly, reaching out to cling to his shoulders.

“You mean it?” His voice was hesitant and shy, as if he were unsure whether he wanted an answer.

Hanzo took a deep breath before leaning in to press his lips to Genji’s. It was a little clumsy at first but he’d been taught this as well. When Genji pressed closer, Hanzo felt fingers tangle in his hair and he used the opportunity to pull Genji flush against him, one arm around his waist and the other ran slowly over the delicate fin that started where his skin morphed into scales along his back.

“I mean it,” Hanzo whispered softly when he pulled back by just a few inches.

“I love you too,” Genji breathed with such a beautiful grin that Hanzo’s heart skipped a beat. “You made a nest?”

“For you,” he said, as if it weren’t obvious.

“No, for _us_.”

“‘Us’...” Hanzo breathed. His lips slowly spread into a wide grin. “I like the sound of that.”

Genji hummed softly and leaned in for another kiss. It was slow and deep and _perfect,_ until Genji pulled back with a look of confusion on his face.

“But-- what about your mating? You can’t have convinced Father to call it off,” Genji said, though he didn’t untangle his fingers from Hanzo’s hair.

“No, I--”

Genji pulled back then, Hanzo’s hair spread out in the water between them where Genji’s fingers had slipped through it. “I _won’t_ be your side piece.”

“No, not that. I don’t care about this mating. I just want you.”

Seeming to relax at that, Genji allowed Hanzo to move closer. “Then what? Father won’t let you throw your mate aside. I won’t be your bit on the side. What’s the compromise here?”

“We...” Hanzo swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe he was about to suggest this. “We could leave. Just the two of us. Travel the world. Together.”

Genji’s eyes widened. “Hanzo-- But the _clan_ \--”

“Fuck the clan,” Hanzo said suddenly as he pressed close to Genji. The words surprised him as much as they did Genji but after a few moments, he didn’t feel the need to correct himself. “There are others in line to take over. We could leave.”

Silence fell over them for a long time before Genji leaned in to kiss him again. This time it was slow and soft and Hanzo felt it in every inch of his body.

“Let me think about it? It’s a lot to give up.”

Hanzo knew. If they left, there would be no returning. There would be no way of changing their minds, even if they wanted to. Genji had a good life here; he had friends and on occasion lovers, Hanzo was sure. He didn’t have the pressures and expectations that Hanzo did. Genji was an insurance in case anything had happened to Hanzo before he reached adulthood. Genji had been allowed to make friends and have fun. Hanzo hadn’t. The only thing Hanzo was leaving behind was his duty and the women who had raised him.

Genji released him, but only for a few moments to curl up in the nest Hanzo had made for them when he reached out for Hanzo. With a smile, Hanzo joined him, sliding into the nest alongside Genji, only for Genji’s tail to wrap around his from waist to tip. Their fins, where they weren’t pressed together, brushed together in the gentle current.

“I love you,” Hanzo whispered, looking at Genji’s beautiful eyes. Genji leaned in to kiss him again and didn’t say anything in return, but he didn’t need to.

The pair of them lay in their nest for… a while. Hanzo couldn’t see the sun through the kelp above them but by the colour of the water, he guessed it had set already. He closed his eyes again, settling more closely against Genji and sighing happily, tucking his face against Genji’s.

“Hanzo?” Genji asked quietly, waiting until Hanzo opened his eyes again before he continued. “Where would we go?”

“Anywhere,” Hanzo whispered, not wanting to disturb the quiet. “We could just swim forever. We could find somewhere we liked. He could find a new clan. Whatever you want.”

“Would we tell Father?”

Hanzo opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a voice.

“Tell Father _what_?” Sojiro asked as he swept into their space.

They sprang apart automatically, tails untangling as they put space in between them. The water against Hanzo’s skin felt cold after spending so long pressed against Genji. They looked at each other, both unsure what to say. They hadn’t exactly made a decision.

“I said, tell Father _what_?” Sojiro demanded in a growl.

There was something in Genji’s eyes when they moved off Hanzo that made him shiver. _Determination_.

“That Hanzo and I are leaving,” Genji said, straightening his spine and pulling his tail close underneath him as if he were preparing for a fight.

“Hanzo would not abandon the clan. Your mate has arrived, Hanzo. Come and meet her, ignore whatever foolish idea your brother’s got into his head.” When Hanzo didn’t move, Sojiro turned to face him. “Hanzo, come.”

Swallowing hard, Hanzo looked to Genji for courage. “I won’t mate with her, Father. I don’t want to. I already have a mate in mind.”

Sojiro sighed. “Hanzo, this girl is from a powerful clan. The only other women you’ve met have been from this clan. You know you must mate with someone else.”

“I refuse.”

“And who is it that’s caught your eye so determinedly?” his father demanded, crossing his arms.

Hanzo curled his hands into fists to hide how badly they were shaking. “Genji.”

Sojiro tensed, looking over their space slowly, taking in the nest for what it was. He turned to Genji with an expression that Hanzo had only ever seen turned on trespassers and intruders.

“Get out. What have you done to poison his mind?” he hissed at Genji. “In fact, I don’t care. Just get out of my territory. Hanzo, come.”

When Hanzo didn’t move, Sojiro reached out to grab his wrist. Hanzo panicked and lashed out with his claws, slashing across Sojiro’s face. He realised what he’d done and his eyes widened, hands shaking twofold.

“Sojiro,” another familiar voice said. Hatsu slipped between the kelp and swam to Sojiro’s side, reaching out to touch his forearm when he went to raise his hand to Hanzo. “Leave them. There are others as talented and knowledgeable as Hanzo. If your heir wants to fuck his little brother, leave him to it like the degenerate he obviously is. You don’t need them.”

With another growl, Sojiro tore himself away and swam off, faster than Hanzo could remember seeing in years.

“Hatsu--” Hanzo said, voice pained. She had encouraged him, why was she saying such things.

She interrupted him when she swam over to press kisses to their foreheads. “My boys. You may not be my sons but you’re my boys. Your mother would be proud of how you’ve grown.”

Hanzo doubted that, but just nodded. Hatsu helped them gather their few meagre belongings in silence.

“I know you don’t believe me about your mother,” she said when they had their things packed into Genji’s small hunting bag. “But I hope you believe me when I say _I_ am proud of you. Go, in case your father comes back.”

With that, Genji swam over to take Hanzo’s hand while he whispered a quiet ‘ _thank you_ ’ to Hatsu. They swam through the kelp, only looking back once before Hatsu disappeared from sight. After that, they didn’t look back at all. Just clinging to the other while they swam on.


	2. Seaward on the Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mer peen ahead, mind the new rating and tags. 
> 
> There's likely to be inconsistencies and errors in this because I haven't had the chance to proof it yet but bear with me!

Genji didn’t know how far he and Hanzo had travelled. The ocean was a big place and they hadn’t been paying attention. They hunted when they were hungry and rested when they were tired. The lack of expectations and duty was a novelty, particularly for Hanzo, though Genji could tell that the lack of direction made Hanzo antsy at times.

Now, the pair of them were curled up together on the slope of a shore, looking up at the moon from under the gentle waves. Hanzo had curled up on Genji, his fingers resting along the lines of his gills. Having Hanzo’s head cushioned on his chest was something that Genji had never imagined he would have. They might not have a clan anymore but Genji wouldn’t trade this for the entire world.

“Hanzo?” Genji asked quietly in case he was asleep. Hanzo just hummed in response. “Do you think we’ll ever stop? Find a home of our own.”

Hanzo was quiet for long enough that Genji didn’t think he would answer. Eventually, he said, “Some day. Soon. As fun as our travels have been, I miss having a place to call home.”

“Me too,” Genji said. “Do you regret it?”

“No,” Hanzo replied without hesitation, lifting his head to look down at Genji, the movement catching his hair and making it fan out in the water around them.

Genji smiled and leaned up to kiss Hanzo gently. “Me neither.” The words were whispered against Hanzo’s lips. “Hanzo?”

“What?” Hanzo chuckled softly. Genji let his eyes close briefly when Hanzo stroked along the prominent line of his cheekbone.

“We haven’t… had sex yet. Do you want to? It’s alright if you don’t. I love you without that,” he said, opening his eyes to make eye contact.

Hanzo’s breath hitched slightly and Genji opened his mouth to try and save it before Hanzo just leaned down to kiss him.

“I do want that. I want everything with you,” he hummed, moving to kiss at his throat in a way that made Genji gasp and arch into it. “When we find somewhere to call ours, I want to take you. Unless you want it the other way around.”

Genji laughed softly, relaxing into the sand as Hanzo kept up his gentle kisses along Genji’s throat. “I don’t mind. I just want you in any and every way.” He pulled Hanzo down against him again and smiled as he curled closer, their tails curling around each other tightly and squeezing. “When we find our place, we’re going to curl up on the sand like this and you’re going to fuck me. How does that sound?”

“Sounds perfect. There has to be sand, then?”

“Yep. I won’t accept anything less. I have very high standards.”

With another soft chuckle, Hanzo said, “Alright. We’ll find somewhere with sand and I’ll make you a nest and then make love to you.”

“Oh no, you’re meeting  _ all _ of my standards,” Genji purred, making Hanzo laugh again.

“Go to sleep, Genji.”

“Yes, brother.”

Genji felt Hanzo’s smile against his chest and smiled too. He might miss home, but he would have missed this even more.

As the weeks passed, the pair of them continued to travel. They would find a kelp forest or an undersea cave or a coral reef and stay for a few days to determine whether they liked it or not. There was always something that they didn’t like; poor hunting grounds, cold water, rough sand. Genji knew it would be more accurate to say that there was something  _ he _ didn’t like. Hanzo would have been happy to settle anywhere that Genji liked.

But they continued to travel, until Genji became frustrated and decided they needed a holiday. They had been swimming for so long that they’d both started to lose weight. Swimming too far below the surface was now too cold for both of them so they stuck to where the sun warmed the water. Genji grabbed Hanzo’s hand and stuck his head above the water, looking around. He could see land in the distance and decided that he wanted a beach. He wanted to lie on the beach with Hanzo, screw everything else. Screw the land-walkers, they could give up a bit of their beach for a couple days.

“Genji?”

“We’re taking a few days off. We’re going to lie on the beach and eat till we’re sick and have as much sex as we possibly can. I’m not waiting until we find somewhere to live because we’ll be waiting for years at this rate. I just want you to fuck me.” Genji stopped with a flick of his tail and turned to look at Hanzo sheepishly. Had that been too far? “That is… if you want.”

Hanzo smiled and Genji relaxed as Hanzo pulled him into his arms. “That sounds alright to me.”

Genji smiled and took hold of Hanzo’s hands, swimming on his back so he could keep eye contact with Hanzo. “Swim with me.”

He waited until Hanzo had come parallel with him before he sped up. They swam facing each other, hands clinging to each other. Hanzo moved closer to kiss him and Genji pulled him closer.

Their lips touched gently and they were pressed almost flush, tails propelling them with lazy circles. “You seem to have a destination in mind,” Hanzo remarked with a small smile.

Genji just hummed, running his claws down Hanzo’s side. He could feel his ribs. Genji tried to hide the way his smile faltered briefly and hoped that he was successful. He had always been the more slender of the two and Hanzo had been the one heavy-set with muscle and fat stores. Seeing Hanzo without that, because of him, wasn’t something that Genji enjoyed.

“I saw land. I want to lie on the beach and sunbathe with you. Maybe try and convince the land-walkers to bring us food so we don’t have to even move anywhere,” Genji said, trying to lighten his own thoughts.

Hanzo snorted, seemingly oblivious to Genji’s concerns. “Do you even speak their language?”

“I’ve got my boyish charm.” Genji carefully avoided answering properly. He knew that Hanzo would go insane if he told him that he'd had contact with humans before and knew how to talk with them. “I’m sure I can find someone who’ll bring us things.”

The smile on Hanzo’s face was enough to keep Genji going.

It took a few hours at their slow and steady pace before the sea floor started rising to meet them as it became shallower. Genji let go of Hanzo’s hand where he was still holding tight to it so that he could poke his head out. The beach was still some distance away, but from where they were he could see a cave opening in the side of the island.

“I want to explore there,” Genji said, pointing to it after dragging Hanzo high enough to see it. The water wasn’t clear enough to see all the way to the cave but Genji had never seen a cave that didn’t extend below the water level.

Hanzo followed him dutifully. Genji could see the way he watched their surroundings, ever vigilant of threats this close to shore. As they approached, the water cleared enough to see into the open mouth of the cave. The cave entrance went all the way down to the sea floor so the sand had washed into it, creating a layer of gold over the base of it.

Swimming inside, Genji looked around, excitement bubbling in his stomach. There were pillars of rock that jutted out of the water where the currents were much slower that would be perfect for lounging on. He swam down to the floor to touch the sand, to find it much deeper than he’d expected; perfect for nesting in. There was no evidence of existing inhabitants and with how populated the waters had been for miles around they wouldn’t be left wanting for food.

Genji turned to Hanzo slowly, a grin spreading across his face. “This is…”

Smiling, Hanzo swam over from where he’d waited in the entryway. “It seems like a nice area. We can always stay for a while and see if we like it.”

Wrapping his tail around Hanzo’s, Genji pulled him closer with a grin, entangling him in his arms as well when he was close enough. “Yeah? You like it too?”

“Anywhere that will make you smile like that is perfect to me,” Hanzo said, leaning in to kiss him.

The kiss was slow and deep. Lips parted and hands grabbed and the feeling of Hanzo’s tongue stroking against his so  _ good _ . Genji couldn’t help the way his hands came up to tangle his fingers in Hanzo’s hair to pull him closer still.

“Genji--”

“Please,” Genji whispered against Hanzo’s lips, his eyes closed. He could feel Hanzo’s heat against him in the cool water and he sucked in a shaky breath.

“Now? Here?”

Despite his questioning, Hanzo tipped Genji’s head back to kiss at his throat. Genji let out a soft whimper and tightened his grip.

“Where better than our new home?” The words were soft and breathless, just like Hanzo’s chuckle in response.

“Alright. Do you want to build a nest or--”

“We can build a nest later. I’m horny  _ now _ ,” Genji said.

Genji didn’t want to wait any longer. It had been… weeks, maybe even months since they’d left the clan and the furthest they’d gone was just making out in some soft sand or as they swam slowly. He wanted more, and he knew that Hanzo did too. He tilted his head to nip at Hanzo’s ear and sucked on it slightly.

“Fuck me, brother,” he whispered against Hanzo’s ear.

The noise that came out of Hanzo shocked Genji, making it easy for Hanzo to manhandle him down onto the sandy floor of their new cave. Genji grinned in excitement and unfurled his tail for Hanzo to wrap his own around if he wanted to, which he did. The anticipation coursing through his veins, the reminder of Hanzo’s strength and dominance, it all made him start to loosen already, hardening behind the slit between his hips.

Genji hummed when Hanzo kissed him again, one of those strong hands coming up to tease at his slit. Genji made a soft noise of pleasure which turned into a moan when Hanzo pressed his thumb more insistently against him. Hanzo kept up the slow stroking along his slit that made Genji moan, until it relaxed and parted enough for Genji’s cock to push free, rapidly coming to full hardness.

“Hanzo, let me...” Genji murmured, hand moving to return the favour, only for Hanzo to lift his hips away as he wrapped his hand around Genji’s cock. The move made Genji falter and moan. The skin there was so much thinner and more sensitive than the rest of his body, which was why it spent most of its time hidden away.

“In time. Just… let me do this for you,” Hanzo whispered, kissing his lips and throat before slowly moving down to his nipples.

Genji couldn’t stop his body from jerking up slightly, especially when Hanzo bit at his nipple carefully at the same time as tightly stroking his dick. The dual stimulation made him moan, louder than before. Hanzo looked up to meet his eyes before he  _ sucked _ at Genji’s nipple and Genji shouted his pleasure.

“Hanzo! Please,” Genji begged, whimpering softly. “Let me touch you...”

Hanzo hummed thoughtfully, looking up at Genji through his eyelashes. Genji just wanted to touch him. He’d wanted it for years, and now that he finally had the chance, Hanzo was denying him. Something softened in Hanzo’s expression and he leaned up to kiss Genji. It felt like permission so Genji lifted his hands slowly and set them on Hanzo’s shoulders.

When Hanzo didn’t shrug him off or stop him, Genji let his hands explore, running them down Hanzo’s back and up his front, squeezing his pecs before stroking back down the line of his abs. Genji watched Hanzo’s face as he lightly brushed his fingertips along his slit. The shudder of breath gave Genji courage to go further. He started to massage the length of it, teasing it with his claws just a little. He wanted to know what Hanzo liked. He’d had a lot of partners who all liked different things. He had to find out what got Hanzo going.

“Trust me?” Genji asked, rolling them over in the water.

The nod that Hanzo gave was enough. Genji smiled and untangled their tails so he could move lower to bring himself to eye level with Hanzo’s hips. He leaned down and licked a slow stripe along Hanzo’s slit. Hanzo gasped above him and fingers tangled in Genji’s hair. Using the tip of his tongue, Genji followed the line up and down, flicking his tongue over it constantly. Hanzo’s soft noises got much louder when Genji pressed his tongue into Hanzo’s opening where his slit started to part. The fingers in his hair tightened and Genji doubled his efforts, sucking at the relaxing muscles and teasing his way along and inside.

When he felt the pointed tip of Hanzo’s cock press against his tongue, Genji couldn’t stop his little chirp of excitement. When Genji pressed the tip of his tongue against Hanzo’s cock, it hardened a little more, just enough to peek out. He didn’t waste any time in wrapping his lips around it and sucking. Hanzo moaned loudly and arched. With each suck and lick, a little more of his cock pushed out until it was fully extended. Genji had to take a moment to appreciate it, stroking it with a loose fist. It was flushed a deep blue that almost matched the surrounding scales and was so thick at the base that even with a tighter grip, his fingertips only just touched. Holding it still, he took it into his mouth and bobbed his head slowly, taking it all in until his lips were stretched and pressed against the soft skin of Hanzo’s slit where the rim was swelling slightly with arousal.

He sucked at Hanzo slowly, enjoying the feeling and Hanzo’s noises of pleasure. He lost track of time, his mind filled with white noise and  _ Hanzo _ .

“Genji-- Genji--” Hanzo gasped, pressing his head back into the sand.

Genji pulled off. “You close already, big brother?” he teased. “I thought your legendary self-control would have you holding on longer than that.”

Hanzo laughed softly. “I want to take our time. We have forever. Kiss me.”

The demand sent a thrill through Genji that he didn’t think he’d ever bore of. He did as he was told and left one little kiss on Hanzo’s beautifully soft cock before he came up to kiss his lips, tangling their tongues together.

“You still want me to fuck you?” Hanzo asked.

Genji shivered slightly at the sheer thought of it. Hanzo inside him, finally, after all these years of dreaming about it. He brought their hips together, their cocks pressed together between them in a way that made them both moan softly.

“I thought I told you to  _ fuck _ me, Hanzo.”

Hanzo growled softly in promise. The sound had Genji’s insides twisting in pleasure and his skin tingling with eagerness. The fingers that weren’t tangled in Genji’s hair moved down to press at the entrance below his cock, one carefully slipping in when Genji relaxed it.

“In here? You want me in here?” Hanzo trilled, moving his finger slowly.

Genji moaned. “Yeah. Want you in my pretty little hole. Don’t you want it? Don’t you want to use me...”

Hanzo seemed to hesitate for a brief second before he rolled them over again, pressing Genji into the sand beneath them. “Relax for me. I want to make you feel good first.”

Genji was about to argue but he was cut off by a sudden groan when Hanzo pushed in another finger. He moved them slowly, unnecessarily careful of his claws.

“You ever used a puffer fish?” Genji asked, grinning slightly.

Hanzo laughed and pressed his face into Genji’s neck, pressing another kiss there before he pulled back to look at him again. “You mean using it to get high,” he said very matter-of-factly.

“Yeah. You just get so relaxed and everything feels so  _ good _ . We should find one. I’ll show you. I once found a really good one; I was so relaxed that I could take four of my fingers right off. Usually you need to stretch me before I can take that many. You could just push right into me.”

Hanzo just rolled his eyes and Genji grinned. He’d convince Hanzo one day, he knew he would. But for now, he just pressed further onto Hanzo’s fingers with a soft gasp. Those fingers spread apart, stretching him easily. With how relaxed Genji was, it wasn’t hard to stretch him further, and when Hanzo returned to sucking at his neck, the arousal made him loosen further.

“Hurry up,” Genji whined, scratching at Hanzo’s back.

“So impatient,” he laughed.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. Put your dick in me and  _ fuck _ me.” Genji pushed onto the stretch of Hanzo’s fingers again, squeezing around them demandingly.

Grinning, Hanzo pulled his fingers free and wrapped their tails together to keep them together. Genji could feel the teasing brush of the tip of Hanzo’s tapered cock against him and had to bite his lip to hold back another demand. He was sure Hanzo could tell but didn’t care, not when Hanzo pressed forward to push steadily into him. The long groan the push drew from Genji was loud and his claws were sharp where they curled into Hanzo’s skin at the sheer pleasure of it.

“Hanzo-- Fuck...” he whimpered, an almost constant trill starting up in the back of his throat.

“You feel so good,” Hanzo said against the skin of his neck where he’d started sucking marks.

“So, ah--!” Genji shouted in surprise when the fattest part of Hanzo’s cock pressed into him. “You’re so big,  _ oh _ ...”

Hanzo kept going until they were flush and Genji was practically shaking with how full he felt. His cock throbbed with his pulse and he reached down to wrap a hand around it. He let out a shaky breath, grabbing onto Hanzo’s hair with his other hand to stay close to him. When Hanzo drew his hips back, Genji bit his lip to prepare for it, but he couldn’t have prepared for the sudden thrust of Hanzo’s thick cock into him.

The sudden stretch of it made him throw his head back with a loud moan. He wouldn’t last long, but he didn’t think Hanzo would either. Genji tried to stroke himself in time with Hanzo’s movements but it was difficult when his mind kept glazing over with sheer pleasure. The glaze seemed to make time pass too, the feeling of the push and retreat of Hanzo’s dick inside him washing over him like the waves against the shore.

“I’m close,” Hanzo whispered against his ear, voice rough. It brought Genji back to the present moment, eyes opening halfway and head tilting to press his temple to Hanzo’s. “Are you?”

Genji just nodded, starting to move his hand again. “Yeah... Come in me, please?”

The request seemed to surprise Hanzo if the sudden jerk of his hips and shaky nod were anything to go by. Genji sped up his hand, his muscles twitching and his gills fluttering rapidly in an attempt to get more oxygen.

“Hanzo-- Hanzo, I can’t--”

“Come for me,” Hanzo ordered, and Genji could do nothing but obey.

His hips jerked into his hand and against Hanzo as he came with a soft cry, his come clouding the water around them as Hanzo doubled his efforts. Genji just clung to him as his own cock softened. Hanzo bit down on Genji’s neck and thrust one last time as he came. Genji could feel the force of it, the kick of Hanzo’s heavy cock, and he sagged back, relaxing against the sand.

The spot where Hanzo had bitten him throbbed and he ached all over but Genji just grinned, looking up at Hanzo when he lifted his head and carefully started to pull out. Genji glanced down between them. He pulled his cock back into his slit and the muscles of it started to tighten again, keeping it safe and secure.

“How was that?” Hanzo asked, slightly breathless and seemingly anxious.

“It was perfect,” Genji grinned, leaning up to kiss him. This time, the kiss was soft and slow, loving instead of passionate. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Hanzo whispered, squeezing his tail where they were still wrapped around each other. 

As the days passed, they spent time building nests to suit them. Hanzo would go away to explore and make sure the area really was as safe as they thought it was. He’d asked Genji to hold off going to the beach, just until Hanzo was happy, and Genji had reluctantly obliged. He wanted to lounge on the sand under the sun, especially with Hanzo at his side but he understood Hanzo’s concerns.

For now, Genji spent his time swimming with the shoals of fish which were plentiful around the cave. They didn’t seem to see him as a threat, which he took as a good sign. That meant there were no other mer around and no fishermen. He tried to use that information to persuade Hanzo, but his brother wasn’t convinced.

Swimming with the fish in the shallows was enjoyable, especially when they danced around him. Some got too curious and nipped at his fins but it was nothing a small flick of his tail wouldn’t dissuade.

It was during one of these times that Genji saw his first land-walker since arriving. He hadn’t thought there’d been any; following the land along the edge had brought Genji back to the cave, so he knew it was an island and he hadn’t seen any humans in the water, or on the beach the few times that he’d poked his head up to look longingly at it.

Of course, the land-walker wasn’t walking on land. It had black skin, except for its hands, and long, fin-like legs. Maybe this was an odd one? There was something on its face too. Genji couldn’t help his curiosity. He watched it slowly drift through the water, lifting up rocks and scooping up sand into a container. It put the container in a pouch at its hip and carried on.

A turtle that Genji had seen around slowly swam over to the human. When the human reached out its hand to the turtle, Genji readied his claws and drew his tail close, prepared to dart in and protect the animal. He’d seen what land-walkers could do, especially to turtles.

Instead, the turtle butted its head against the human’s hand and waited as it dug around in its pouch to bring out some meat and hold it out. The turtle took it and butted against the human’s side before swimming on.

After that, the human started swimming upwards, its fins propelling it upwards. Looking up, Genji saw a small boat. He was sure that’s what they were called anyway. The human pulled itself out of the water and Genji followed, swimming after it curiously. It had been kind to the turtle, fed it, and had tried not to disturb any of the other sea life. Genji wanted to know what it was doing. Hanzo was taking too long in finding the information he wanted; Genji could take matters into his own hands.

The sun wasn’t as bright as usual, covered by clouds, so Genji was comfortable sitting below the surface of the water. Without the sun to shine through it, the water was slightly murky from above the surface.

Watching the human climb aboard the boat was funny. The fins at the end of his legs clearly made it difficult so Genji couldn’t help but grin. When its legs disappeared over the side, Genji swam up and reached up to grab the side of the boat, pulling himself up to rest his arms on the side.

“Hello,” he said.

The human screamed. There was no other word for it. The shrillness of it hurt Genji’s ears more than the sudden switch to air hurt his throat. Genji watched curiously, resting his cheek on his forearm where they were crossed on the side of the boat.

“Holy hell in a handbasket, who the hell are you?” the human asked, breathless in its surprise.

Genji didn’t understand all of its words, but he smiled. “I’m Genji.”

“Genji. Right. I ain’t seen you round before, did Gabe put you up to this? Scared the crap outta me. Get up here.”

“Why? What’s your name?”

“What? I’m Jesse, now get out the water. I gotta go.”

With a frown, Genji said, “Okay,” and hauled himself up, pulling himself over the side and into the boat. The inside of the boat was tidy and sparse and the width of it was perfect for Genji. It meant he could sit back against one side and drape his tail over the opposite one.

Genji looked up at Jesse to see its wide-eyed stare. He frowned and reached to poke it to check it wasn’t dead. Jesse flinched back at the sight of his claw coming towards it.

“I, uh… I’m guessing that you ain’t here because of Gabe then.”

“Who’s Gabe? Is it your mate?” Genji asked, picking up the fins that Jesse had strapped to its feet. They were funny looking, though he supposed they acted like a dolphin’s tail.

“My-- Ha, no, Gabe is my boss. Uh, he’s in charge of me. Tells me what to do. So… You’re a mermaid.”

“That’s what you call us, isn’t it? What are these?” Genji asked, lifting up the fins.

“Those are flippers. Makes it easier to swim underwater. We humans ain’t so good at that whole thing as you are.”

Genji hummed, looking over them. “You said ‘he’. Are you a ‘he’? I’ve been calling you an ‘it’.”

“Yeah, I’m a man, a ‘he’. What about you?”

“So am I. What were you doing? How did you breathe underwater, do you have gills? Why are your hands pink but the rest of you is black?” Genji asked, reaching over to grab at Jesse’s arm.

“Hey, watch it!” Jesse yelped, pulling back. “It’s called a wetsuit, helps keep me warm and protects my skin. And no, I don’t have gills. We use these little rebreathers to breathe. They’re only small so they don’t last long but it’s long enough.” Jesse peeled off the wetsuit down to his waist, revealing his chest.

Genji couldn’t help his chirp of curiosity when he saw the fluff on Jesse’s chest. It looked soft and springy like… algae but curlier. He wanted to touch it but with how Jesse kept pulling away from him, he didn’t think he’d appreciate it.

“Where’d you come from, anyhow?” Jesse asked, eyeing him curiously as he unclipped the pouch around his waist.

“My brother and I left our clan. We’ve travelled for many moons. We made our home in a cave near here.”

“Your brother? Where’s he at then?”

“He’s been swimming, trying to find out if it’s safe for us to stay here. Do you live here?”

“Kinda. This island’s a reserve. A… safe place for rare animals who we think might disappear if we don’t take care o’ them.”

“Disappear? Where to?” Genji asked, blinking his inner eyelids to try and stop them from drying out.

“We’re worried they might die. Like that loggerhead down there, we make sure our beach is safe for her to lay her eggs and the ocean is safe from people trying to catch her and her babies.”

“Oh. You mean like fishermen?”

“Yeah, and poachers. People who want to sell them.” Jesse huffed in frustration, his fists curling up. He seemed angry and so although Genji didn’t really understand what he was trying to explain, he let the matter lie. “I was takin’ samples of the water and the sand so we can run tests on it, make sure it’s all normal. Every so often we do a rough estimate of how many fish of each species there are, make sure everything’s alright down there.”

Genji hummed, watching Jesse curiously. The human’s skin was dark, much darker than his own. The humans he’d met before weren’t like Jesse. He spoke with such emotion that Genji couldn’t help but smile. He reminded him of Hanzo in a way.

“How do you keep the island safe? What about the birds and the land creatures? Do you take care of them too?”

“We do, got vets-- Uh… healers?” Jesse tried, smiling when Genji nodded in understanding. “On hand all the time in case any o’ them get sick. We pay for it all by letting people come on tours but they’re supervised at all times so they can’t do no damage or hurt anything.”

Genji’s lips slowly curled into a wide grin as the information sunk in. “So you’re saying it’s safe here? That I could lie on the beach and no one would hurt me?”

“I mean… yeah, if that’s what you wanna do. It’s not like you’re an animal so they can’t exactly pack you up and ship you off somewhere else, not that anyone here would.”

Genji laughed, flicking his tail in the water. “Oh, Hanzo’s going to love that.” Genji sat up quickly, bringing him almost nose to nose with Jesse with how small the boat was. “Would you come sunbathe with me, Jesse? Lie on the sand, enjoy the sun…” he purred softly, looking pointedly at Jesse’s lips before looking back up to meet his eyes.

Jesse seemed speechless. His mouth opened and closed. Genji wanted to tease his pretty pink lips but just grinned and rolled over so he could push himself backwards towards the edge of the boat and slip over the side back into the water.

“Nice to meet you, Jesse,” Genji said with a smirk before he slipped under the water and swam off with a flick of his tail.

Genji did so enjoy toying with people, but now he had to find Hanzo and tell him what he’d learnt.

\---

“You did what?” Hanzo exclaimed when he returned to the cave later that evening.

“I met a human and sat in his boat,” Genji repeated from where he was lounging in their deep nest.

“Okay, yes, that’s what I thought you said. And why?”

“He told me to. Thought one of his friends was playing a prank on him.”

“He told-- Of course he did. Of course you would.” Hanzo paused. “Genji, how did you know that he told you to?”

“Oh, whoops, did I forget to tell you that I know one of their languages?” Genji asked, knowing full well that he had.

Hanzo was quiet for so long that Genji looked up. The shock on Hanzo’s face would have been funny at any other time if Genji wasn’t worried for his life.

“Genji, one of these days, you’re going to be the death of me, I swear,” Hanzo said, rubbing at his face with his hands.

Genji smiled and swam over to him. He took hold of his hands and carefully pulled them off Hanzo’s face so he could lean in to kiss him. “He told me that this island is protected, to keep the animals safe. That we’d be safe too.”

Hanzo sighed softly and brushed their noses together. “If you trust him. Then I guess this is where we’re staying.”

With a grin, Genji led Hanzo back to their nest and wrapped himself tightly around him. “Come to the beach with me in the morning? In the sun on some warm sand, curled up together... Don’t you think that sounds nice? Maybe you’ll meet my new friend? I’ll teach you and you can talk with him.”

“You’re such a pain,” Hanzo laughed softly, pressing their foreheads together.

Genji let his eyes close as he enjoyed the closeness, smiling to himself. Tomorrow when the sun was high, he’d take Hanzo to the beach and they’d curl together like this. Maybe he’d go and catch something for them to eat while they were there. And maybe Jesse would turn up too. 

The next morning, Genji lounged around in the nest for as long as he could, and kept Hanzo with him. When Hanzo woke and tried to disentangle himself from Genji, Genji just tightened his grip and wrapped his tail more closely around his. 

“Genji, let me go,” Hanzo breathed on a soft chuckle. 

“Hm…” Genji said, pretending to consider it. “No, I think I’m quite happy here.”

Hanzo wriggled a little more, trying to get away. “Let go of me, it's morning.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m quite comfortable with you here.”

Hanzo laughed exasperatedly and just sagged back into the sand. “You’re so annoying.” Despite his words, his tone was overwhelmingly fond. 

Genji leaned in, almost close enough to kiss. "You love it."

"Oh, I do. I do..." 

Hanzo closed the short distance between them, kissing him. The gentleness of it would always be a wonder to Genji, who was used to more dominant partners who he likely wouldn't sleep with again after the first time. He desperately wanted it to work between the two of them, and he knew that Hanzo felt the same way. Genji didn't want this to fall apart. 

"I love how annoying you are too, don't worry," Genji reassured when they parted. 

With a grin, Hanzo rolled them to the side to press Genji into the sand. "Is that so?"

"Mm-hm. I love everything about you, even the way you won't let me keep you in our beautiful nest. It's so lovely, brother, how could you want to leave it? Especially with me in here, so warm and relaxed..."

"It is very..." Hanzo leaned down to kiss at a sensitive spot on Genji's throat that made him gasp softly. "Tempting."

"That sounds like there's a 'but' coming," Genji murmured, tilting his head back to allow Hanzo as much room as he wanted. 

The soft kisses continued along Genji's neck. They went up to his ear and then back down. With a final kiss in the hollow of his throat, Hanzo lifted his head.

" _ But _ I'm hungry, and you will be as well in a bit."

Genji whined softly. Hanzo was right though. Hanzo was usually right. He untangled himself from Hanzo to allow him up, though he was sulking the whole time. 

"Fine. But you're bringing me food."

Hanzo chuckled and leaned down to press one last brief kiss to Genji's lips. "Alright. I will. I can even hand-feed you if you're feeling that childish."

"Excuse me!" Genji reached out to grab at Hanzo but he was gone before he could. "Rude!"

Hanzo's laugh made Genji smile as he settled back down into the nest, spreading out a bit more. He did love curling up with Hanzo, but there was just something about lounging in their nest while Hanzo gathered food for him that warmed his heart.    
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone on the Omegawatch Discord for letting me rant and giving me ideas. Come join us! https://discord.gg/KSxQrCJ
> 
> Kudos and comments always appreciated! Let me know what you thought and stick around for dolphin-inspired mermaid peens.


End file.
